Fantasy or Reality:
"The invasion of monsters began decades ago, and it quickly transformed
the world of entertainment. With little resistance, an army of cute-ugly
creatures swept into toy stores, television and movies.... And many
have pushed their way into children's hearts on the backs of seductive
myths that mold their thoughts and manipulate their imagination....

"They entertain. They shift a person's attention from the real world
to a more titillating realm created by those who write the myths and
steer the imagination. They tempt Christian fans to re-imagine
both God and themselves in the new context – thus bending the old
realities to fit the new myths. They desensitize their fans to mystical
images and symbols of evil. And they stir a craving for more intense
excitement of the same kind. Eventually the real world of
nature, families, work and Biblical truth becomes too boring to be enjoyed."

New
Theology, Gnosticism and the New Age:
"The modern secular (humanistic) concept of truth is relative. Purged
of Biblical absolutes, it puts Man at the center of all things. Denying
the reality of a personal almighty God, the worldly person simply
determines what's true and real according to his own mind, inclination
and imagination. While reinventing our Creator, both Gnostics and humanists
rejected most of the Bible. It made no earthly sense to them....

"

In
contrast, those who knew and followed God were given full
access to the truths that the world has despised and abandoned....

"By the beginning of the 19th century western intellectuals began
to openly embrace Eastern mysticism and the occult as a source of
truth because they had abandoned rationalistic thinking. There is a
logical inconsistency in man's rejection of the supernatural and his
embrace of mysticism as
Francis Schaeffer
clearly shows in
Escape from Reason. These changing views would soon bring revolutionary
change to 'progressive' churches and academia."
See
Mysticism & Global Mind
Change

July 2011

The Harbinger: Revealing
- or Concealing - "America's Ancient Mystery"? "Setting aside
the 'ancient mystery' of the nine harbingers (depicted as pictographic
clay seals in Jonathan Cahn’s fictional story), there is another 'secret'
message that flows in the subtext of Cahn’s New York Times bestseller,
The Harbinger. Evaluating this hidden stream... will reveal that
Cahn’s nine harbingers are built not on Scripture but on sinking
sand. Cahn’s fictional Prophet recounts the 'consecration' of America
by George Washington in a manner which stirs reverential awe among many
Christian Patriots. But early in the book, Cahn acknowledges that
'those who laid America’s foundations' came 'long before the Founding
Fathers...'” See
Mysticism & Global Mind
Change

The Harbinger - A Matter
of Critical Discernment:
"...although The Harbinger is a fictional account that invites
subjective criticism, it makes numerous claims regarding actual signs
or harbingers from God—which it attempts to justify by supporting
them with Scriptures. God’s Word, however, is not fiction. That
subjects The Harbinger to factual evaluation, because the
Bible is God’s objective truth. Therefore, we can challenge Cahn’s claims
objectively by searching the Scriptures to see if they indeed are true
(Acts 17:11). As Isaiah wrote,

"...if they speak
not according to [God’s] word, it is because there is no light in
them." (Isaiah 8:20)

May 2011

Ahmadinejad allies charged with
sorcery: "Several people
said to be close to the president and his chief of staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei,
have been arrested in recent days and charged with being 'magicians'
and invoking djinns (spirits). Ayandeh, an Iranian news website, described
one of the arrested men, Abbas Ghaffari, as 'a man with special skills in metaphysics
and connections with the unknown worlds." See Unequal
Contenders in the Spiritual War

Contemplative Spirituality = New
Age Movement: "The editors
of the magazine New Age Journal have put together a book titled As Above, So Below, which
they promote as a handbook on 'Paths to Spiritual Renewal,' according to their
worldview. Along with chapters on shamanism,
goddess worship, and
holistic health, there is a
chapter devoted to contemplative prayer. In it they openly declare: 'Those who
have practiced Transcendental Meditation may be surprised to learn that Christianity
has its own time-honored form of mantra meditation. … Reliance on a mantric
centering device had a long history in the mystical canon of Christianity.'"
See
Empowering "my" will

New Age Sympathizer Leonard Sweet
to Speak at Calvary Chapel Church:
"Leonard Sweet has been a leading figure in bringing the “new” spirituality
into the evangelical church for more than a decade and a half. From his book,
Quantum Spirituality...
to his audio series, The Tides of Change, with Rick Warren in 1995, to
his book he co-authored with atonement denier
Brian McLaren, A is for
Abductive: the Language of the Emerging Church.... show his New Age propensities....
And for him to be included in a conference at a Calvary Chapel church (after
the founder of the movement denounced the emerging spirituality a few years
ago) speaks volumes about the slide into deception that the evangelical
church is making." See
From Truth to a New Spirituality

November 2009

Revisiting the Occult-Military Complex:
Towards A Mystical Military:
"Apparently,
participants in this occult-military program where supposed to take down enemies
by projecting psychic powers. Training for this was apparently done on
goats, and the warrior monks – the term used by these mind solders – would stare
at goats in an attempt to kill them using mind power alone.

"Hocus pocus? Obviously mainline institutions, such as the U.S. Army, recognizes
some validity to the paranormal or 'spiritual'– enough, at least,
to pursue occult experiments.... So, what can we glean from this brief exploration
of such a different topic? Simply put: It demonstrates that society’s fascination
with occultism isn’t limited to those who are 'spiritually-minded' or the paranormal
fads of popular culture – it even transcends accepted norms of civil service.
Therefore, by understanding this context, we have a better grasp of our culture’s
spiritual appetite, and hopefully can be better equipped to recognize the inroads
made by occultism."

When Students Are Left for the Wolves:
"My alma mater, Bethel University in St. Paul, MN, sponsored an Interreligious
Symposium promoting some kind of 'common ground' between Buddhism and Christianity....
Abouandatory. The three main presenters were Buddhist monk Witiyala Seewalie
from Sri Lanka, Bethel professohttp://www.shepherd.to/index.html is a part of
the 'Christian Zen' movement, and Ted Meissner, an active Buddhist layman
and meditator in Zen, although he grew up in a Christian home....

"Zen is
a school or division of Buddhism characterized by techniques designed to produce
enlightenment. ...being a Buddhist means becoming conscious of one's own
divinity. ...

Merton & Nouwen: Sacrificing Truth
for Mystical Experiences:
"On a rational level, Christianity and Eastern religions will not mix; but add
the mystical element and they blend together like soap and water.... Mysticism
neutralizes doctrinal differences by sacrificing the truth of Scripture
for a mystical experience. Mysticism offers a common ground>... divinity
in all....

"Why would
a Hindu monk advocate the Christian mystical tradition? The answer is simple:
they are one in the same. Even though the repetitive words used may differ (e.g.
Christian words... rather than Hindu words), the end result is the same."
See
Merging Religion and Mystical 'Science'

Esoteric "Christianity":
"....he explained that the spirit within his soul guided him into all knowledge.
When I asked him which spirit it was that had control of his soul, and directly
challenged whether or not it was an agent of Satan masquerading as an angel
of light, he sharply replied that 'as long as you have no fear, it doesn't
matter which spirit it is.'

"

This
is very dangerous ground! The Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn, an occult society that had its start back in 1887,
teaches that 'Fear is failure and the forerunner of failure...Therefore fear
not the Spirits, but be firm and courteous with them...' Yet, God's Word tells
us that we are not to believe every spirit, but rather to test them to see if
they are from God (1 John 4:1). Please understand, this is nothing to fool around
with." See A New Mask for an Ancient Secret

In shambles after 'apparition':
"A blistering attack has been launched by the manager of Knock Shrine against
thousands of pilgrims who stampeded and left the place 'in a terrible state'
on Sunday in the hopes of seeing an apparition of the Virgin Mary.... Up to
15,000 people had gathered from all over Ireland for an apparition of Our Lady....'Our basilica was
left in a terrible state.... There was food and drink spilled inside, chairs
turned upside-down, the carpets were soiled...
'There was pandemonium ...

"...
the apparition told him that she hoped her message of peace would be
'given around the globe in different ways'.... I am the Immaculate Heart, mother
of all my children, mother of all God’s children. I am the Immaculate Conception.
I am Queen of the Heavens. I am Queen of the Earth."

The next link gives a glimpse of the type of deceptions our children are exposed
to in today's
schools,
churches and culture.

Transforming Community:
"The Rev. David Hett, Minister of Religious Life and Learning, explores
the many elements that make up the individual and corporate journey into a
new way of being in the world.... 'As I travel to the Scottish island
of Iona, 'birthplace' of Celtic Christianity, I become more aware why I themed
my sabbatical around mystical lands, traditions, and paths: for greater abiding
in, and openness to... 'unitive consciousness, the primal, in-depth oneness
of all things with God.' .... Even use of the word, 'God,' becomes problematic....
I often prefer, then, to use euphemisms like 'Divine' or 'Being'..." From God's Truth to the "New
Spirituality"

September 2008

Darwin: From Physics to Metaphysics:
"The idea of natural selection may have been designed to explain God away, but
in reality, through time, it has been the catalyst which has created an environment
which has done exactly the opposite. It seems there has been a major shift in
thinking over the past few decades. Our present generation has become frustrated
with believing in naturalism. Now they are willing to believe
that anything and everything is God. There is no question mysticism and
superstition, which modern science was supposed to have eliminated has made
a comeback..."

"...those
who practice soaking prayer will often respond with falling or lying on the
floor, where they 'soak in God's presence.'' Instructions for soaking suggest
turning on 'intimate worship music with meaningful words that quiet your soul
and help you draw near to God.' Results can include: a feeling that a heavy
weight is on the body, an electric tingling in the hands and feet, and a warm
sensation going through the heart....

"Offering
numerous soaking prayer Kits, including one for teens, special soaking prayer
music, and 'soaking essentials' (pillow and blanket), along with an entire training
seminar on how to start your own soaking prayer center, is evidence that what
is being taught goes beyond the realm of a biblical quiet time where a believer
reads the Word, meditates mindfully on it, and prays."

Todd_Bentley
(It's strange that any church would trust this man!): "Todd is associated with
the controversial ‘Kansas
City Prophets’, and has had various ‘prophets’ speak in support of his ministry….
'I go into intercession and become a partner with the angels by petitioning
the Father for the angels that are assigned to getting me money....'

"Todd has
a number of impressive [occult]
tattoos and piercings which, he claims, God told him to get."

Meditation Explosion - 17 Million Meditators:
"...This means that since
A Time of Departing
came out, 17 million people in this country have embraced the practice of
meditation. Dr. Levy makes it clear that the type of mediation of which he speaks
is the eastern-New Age kind as the essence of his book is that meditation
is a door way to the'superconscious.'...

"First
is the tremendous explosion of the interest in
Yoga... the union with the
divine or the Hindu concept of the divine.... Secondly... is the explosion of
the interest in contemplative prayer, which is a westernized form of meditation....
The emerging church movement seeks to jettison the traditional doctrinal expressions
of Christianity and replace it with a more mystical experiential type of Christianity,
one that fits in well with the philosophy of interspirituality."

February 2008

National Pastors Convention: It’s
a Leftie-Palooza: “Join
Shelly Pagitt for a time of prayer, stretching, and meditative reflection as
you begin your day at the NPC. If possible, please bring a mat with you for
the stretching time.' Shelly Pagitt, wife of emerging Pied Piper, Doug, will
be bowing before the pastors and their wives and saying, 'Namaste'. That’s
how a yoga session starts, and the words are Sanskrit for 'I bow to the
divine within you.'

"Yoga journal
describes 'Namaste' this way. 'The gesture Namaste represents the belief that
there is a Divine spark within each of us that is located in the heart
chakra. The gesture is an acknowledgment
of the soul in one by the soul in another. ... Namaste literally means 'bow
me you' or 'I bow to you.'

"When the
pastors are done with their Hindu worship, they can cruise into a workshop
with Roger Olson. ... 'We will look at how history sheds light on radical evangelical
faith that breaks with the status quo and forges new paths in theology, worship
and service.' ...

"Ruth Haley
Barton is another speaker at the National Pastors Convention. After sewing her
seeds of
contemplative
mystical spiritualityat Willow Creek under
Bill Hybels, she has now moved on.... Zondervan, who sponsors the NPC,
has brought in political liberals... to make sure that left-wing theology matches
left-wing politics.... The National Pastors Convention is an indication of evangelicalism’s
future. Only those whose feet are on the rock of the
unchanging Word of God will
not be swept away by this tsunami of spiritual deception." See From Gnostic Roots to Occult Revival

January 2008

Kingdom Triangle by J.P. Moreland:
"J. P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Talbot (Biola) School
of Theology and a faculty member at David Noebel's Summit Ministries....But
Moreland has another credential that is not being discussed in evangelical circles
- he promotes contemplative and emerging spirituality."